Dam.



PATENTEI) JULY 7, 1903.

R. G. BBARDSLEY.

DAM.

PPLIoATioN nun nso'. 2v. 1902..

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ivo. vaches.

UNI-TED STATESl ra-tensed July v, 19de.

Runes c. BEARDSLEY, on ELKHART, INDIANA.

DAM,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,123, dated July 7, 1903. Application led December 27, 1902. Serial No. 136,818. (No model.)

To cir/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RUFUS C. BEARDsLnv, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Elkhart, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Dams, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dams, which are set forth in this specification and shown in drawings, Figures l, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, the object of the invention being to obstruct the iiowof streams and riversand to confine and raise the waters therein in the most efiicient manner.

The improvements consist of a breastworks resting upon the lower mat s and composed of the posts f and the plank'g. Said breastworks extends across the full length of the dam and is] sustained by the cleats o and the plank u. Vhen the 'height of the dam is great, the posts f are braced from the deck e. With this arrangement I do away with all rods which` might conduct the water to the edge of the mat. By placing the breastworks on the lower mat the top of the posts f are lowered below the surface of im pounded water by the depth of the sill fu and the plank u, which in the. case of low dams is very important, as otherwise ice or driftwood vmight strike against them. A single thickness of plank being more pliable than two thicknesses, the piling n may be fastened to the mat, the flexibility of the plank s allowing the mat under the dam to press with more force upon the underlying gravel than would be the case if the top floor of mat extended to the piling. All river-bottoms willnot require the use of this breastworks. I therefore wish it to be considered as an entirely separate device from the foundation-mat.

The improvement in the mat (by which I mean that part of the structure upon which.

the dam proper and the breastworks rest) consists of the arrangement of the sills p and n, Figs. 1 and 2, Figi being a plan view and Fig. 2 an end elevation. It will be seen thatthc planks r run across the river lengthwise with the dam and are laid loosely together and nailed to the sills p, which run at right angles with the length of dam. The timbers p are spaced so that they come under the damsills c and are fitted tightly between the sills o, thus dividing the interior of mat into water-tight boxes. The planks are laid either single or double and laid in close contact, so as to be nearly as possible water-tight. This arrangement gives a more uniform distribution ofpressure and tends to localize any leakage. The compartments between the sills p are filled with earth or cement. The cant-board t is made to project above the plank 'a to form a dan] in such a manner that water is held on top of the mat, as shown in Fig. 2." This water tills the compartments formed by the sills p and o, and thus prea submerged mat.

Heretofore the decking of dams has been put together with spikes or bolts; but I have found that these hold the planking apart after the water has thoroughly seasoned and shrunk them and that they intime form leaks. To obviate the difficulty, I have invented the decking shown in Figs. 4 and 6, in which e is a plank in which are cnt grooves on each edge. so proportioned that it lits closely in these grooves and holds the plank e apart a distance depending on theuhe'ad of water the deck is to sustain. Withthis arrangement the hydraulic pressures' are made to act on the tongue, pressing it with great force against the grooves in the plank. There being no nails to rust or hold the tongue away, the joints will at all times remain tight.

I claim an improvementin a ventilated dam. Atone or both ends of dam an openserves the entire mat from decay. This I call n is a tongue of soft dry wood ing t, Figs. and 2, through-the abutment 7L,

is provided.-. This openingV may be of any size or shape, andI do .not wish to restrict my invention to the exact location of this` opening, but reserve the right to make such changes therein as are not at variance with the spirit of the invention. said opening is to allow of the free admission of air and also persons and materials. It has been proven that water pouring over the crest of a dam exhausts the air from under the dam, causing vacuums and dangerous pressures. It' is to prevent the formation of vacuums and at the same time ventilato and allow of the inspection of the interior of the dam that the openings t are left.

Along the downstream edge of mat and ex- YThe object of ICO tending across the river is provided a flexible mat, which I claim to be an improvement. This flexible mat is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 5 and consists of a series of boxes made as shown and bound together by rods or chains z and held to the mat-sill g by a bolt and ring Z. Each box is made by nailing the plank lo onto the square block of wood T, which acts as a plug. A hole is bored through the plank and plug at each end of box, and then the different boxes are strung on the chains or rods z, thus forming a continuous and flexible mat. The boxes are then filled with sand through auger-holes bored in the top plank to cause them to sink when they are undermined by wat-er discharged from the dam until they finally settle below the back current, dac., thus preventing all undermining of the foundationmat. All river-bottoms do not require this device, while others will require two or more lengths of flexible mat, as shown in the drawings.

I am aware that prior to my invention gravity-dams have been made consisting of a combination of a foundation-mat provided with a breastworks erected thereon and a dam superstructure. I therefore do not claim such a structure broadly; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a dam the combination of a foundation-mat, having the lower sills run lengthwise with the dam, and the upper sills at right angles lto the same; and two plank floors laid on said sills, the lower door being water-tight, and extending upstream several feet farther than the upper floor, and having a coier-dam formed at the downstream edge of said mat to dam up the water on top of mat.

2. In a dam structure the combination of a l foundation-mat constructed as described and provided with a breastworks erected along the upstream edge of upper mat-fioor, and

resting on the lower door, being sustained by a cleat secured to the lower floor, or a brace back against the deck of dam, and filled above with gravel or other materials, substantially as specified.

3.y In a dam the combination of a foundation-mat, a breastworks erected thereon, and rigidly secured thereto; and a dam superstructure having a deck composed of grooved plank laid an inch or so apart, with a tongue of dry wood inserted tightly in said groove to be acted upon by the hydraulic pressure, substantially as described.

4. In a dam, the combination of a foundation-mat, a breastworks erected thereon, a Colfer-dam erected on the mat to cause said mat at all times to be submerged, a dam superstructure attached to said mat, sustaining the impounded water, and having a deck composed of grooved plank put together with a dry-wood tongue, an opening in either or both abutments at end of dam to allow the free admission of air or objects into the interior of dam superstructure, substantially as described.

5. In a dam, the combination of a foundation-mat, a breastworks erected thereon, a dam superstructure having a deck of grooved plank fitted with wooden tongues and attached rigidly to said mat, openings at one or both ends of dam for the admission of air or objects, and a flexible mat composed of a succession of wooden boxes filled with heavy materials strung on rods or chains, and attached to the downstream edge of the foundation-mat by chains or bolts, so that lthe whole series of boxes forms a continuous heavy and flexible mat extending the entire length of the dam, substantially as described.

R. C. BEARDSLEY.

Witnesses:

N. RIOHER, JOHN I. RICHER. 

